10 Ideas for a Sensory Table for Your Kids

Sensory tables are designed to help children’s early learning through the use of different senses. This is a staple for preschool and daycare classrooms. The sensory table lets children learn things through the use of taste, touch, smell, sight, and sound. It’s a great opportunity for students to learn more about the environment that surrounds them. Children can learn through playing and exploring by themselves. Having this in a classroom will aide in their learning. Here are 10 great ideas to put in sensory tables.

All About Rocks

Fill and mix in rocks, pebbles, and stones in the sensory table. Children will be able to look at and examine each rock with the use of a magnifying glass. They can also sort them out by color and size.

Autumn Memories

When autumn comes, let the children explore the outside of the classroom to look for signs of the season. Let them gather different colors of leaves and acorns. These things can be put into the sensory table and let the children smell and touch the things they’ve found. You can provide photos of leaves that change colors. See if the kids can sort out the leaves by their shapes and sizes and by tree species.

Bubbles

You can create bubbles and put it in the sensory table by mixing a little bit of soap with water. Children can create suds from this to have fun sensory play. For a more creative version, you can add in some food coloring to add color to the suds. This is a good way to let children learn science in a fun and colorful way.

Bring in the ocean

Bring in the ocean into the classroom by putting in sand and water in the sensory table. Add in a few seashells and toy fishes to simulate the ocean.

Gardenscapes

You can also design the sensory table to look as if it is a home for fairies. Add in some flowers and twigs. This will allow children to use their imagination as they create stories about magical beings.

Playing with Jell-O

Jell-O is squishy and letting children squeeze it can amuse them. It will also let them play with their sense of touch. Jell-O can be eaten so they can also use their sense of taste! Throw in plastic cookie cutters to add in the fun as this will let children make different Jello shapes.

Bury a treasure

What’s more fun than having a little mystery? Have a treasure hunting day for the children. Decorate the sensory bin or table with sand or soil and bury a treasure within. The children can then sift through and dig to look for that treasure.

Snow day!

If your area has snow during winter time, gather enough to have snowballs for the entire class. Fill in the sensory table with warm water and then instruct the kids to drop in the snowballs. Let them watch and observe what happens to the snowballs. If you don’t have snow in your area, try freezing some ice cubes instead.

Cookies and treats

Fill the sensory table with flour or oatmeal. Add in some cloves, cinnamon sticks, nutmegs, vanilla beans and other things you can find. Sprinkle in confetti to add some surprise. Let the children use their sense of smell and ask them what they smell. Let them touch it, too, and ask them if it reminds them about anything.

Cars and racetracks

Little boys will enjoy this one! Add a layer of soil in the sensory table or bin and let children design their own racetrack. Let them use their imagination as they build a derby track. Designing and making racetracks with obstacles will develop the children’s motor skills.

A sensory table is a very nice tool to let children explore and discover the beauty of using their five senses. The ideas and tips above will help you come up with sensory table themes you can have in your classroom or in your homes. The goal here is to let your children use their five senses so you can be as creative as you want. Good schools will have classrooms for children where they can learn many things. If you want your kids to have the best learning, please visit ABC Academy and learn more about us.